Thai Coconut Steak

My husband is an avid steak lover! And before I start this post, I will publicly accept, he is better at cooking as well as buying steak. He knows his cuts and how to cook them.. Now that I am done with this public announcement, I feel better about sharing this recipe with you all. Because the first time I gave this recipe a shot, it was a complete and total failure! And I was warned never to go steak shopping myself.. ever again..! I did all the wrong things possible with my steak, did not buy the right cut, I think I bought boneless steak instead of skirt/flank steak - Rookie Mistake #1. Then I cooked my steak before bringing it to room temperature - Rookie Mistake #2. Hell yeah, I even cut the steak against the grain.. like I was supposed to know that is even a thing. The only thing I got right, and luckily aced, was the flavor. Yep, at least I got the marinade right. And this is why I gave my steak a second chance, this time buying steak with the husband. And yep, the second time around, I corrected all my rookie mistakes from the previous mishap, and have an amazing recipe for you guys to try out. I will also list all the dos and don'ts I learned from both my experiences. Hopefully, either you guys are laughing at me for my lack of basic steak knowledge. Or are fumbling just like me and this will be a beginners guide to some of you.

First things first, invest in buying good quality steak, that protein does make or break your dish. For this particular recipe, we went ahead with skirt steak, the thing I learnt about skirt steak was, it is a juicy yet thin slice of steak, this is what makes it easy to overcook.. will get to more cooking details later, but before that, I was taught how to cut it across the grain, so that it isn't too tough when you cook it. Another myth that was broken for me was, that marinating the steak doesn't make it any tender. It just permeates the outer layers of the meat, but it does bring a lot of FLAVOR to the meat. And yes, flavor was definitely my forte in this game. This coconut marinade, is definitely the right summer flavor for your steak! Another word of caution though, remember to dry your steak completely before cooking it. The mantra for me to follow here was MOISTURE is the enemy of caramelization.  So make sure to blot your steak with paper towels before cooking them. And last and most important lesson for me was, DON'T COOK THE STEAK IF ITS STILL COLD! I might have even repeated this mantra a few times.. lol.. alright, thats overdoing it, but yeah, make sure the steak is at room temperature before you cook it. Especially this cut of steak, since it cooks so fast, and you don't want to overcook it. That's why, you wait till the steak is at room temperature. So you don't just cook the outside and have a raw inside. Or wait too long to cook it, and hence end up overcooking it.

Last word of advice, before you go ahead with the recipe, resting is key. While making a steak, make sure you rest your steak for a few minutes, so the moisture is spread evenly through the meat before you begin cutting it.

Prep Time: 15 mins  Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

• ½ cup coconut milk
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Thai fish sauce
• 1 tsp ground pepper powder
• 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
• 1 pound beef skirt steak, cut into 4-inch lengths
• ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

Directions:

1.  In a bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, brown sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, fish sauce, pepper powder and ginger garlic paste. Place the steak in a ziplock bag and pour the marinade over the steak. Seal the bag shut making sure you take all the air out. Refrigerate the steak for 6 - 12 hours. 
2. Drain the steak marinade and pat steak dry. Sprinkle the steak with some salt. (Make sure your steaks are at room temperature before you start cooking)
3. Heat an iron skillet with some butter. Place the steaks in the skillet and let it cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. Flip over and ensure both sides are cooked to desired doneness, that should be 6-8 mins depending on thickness of the steaks
4. Lets steaks rest on carving board at least 4 minutes before cutting lengthwise, across the grain

Thai Coconut Steak with Spicy BBQ sauce and Asian salad

You can serve the steak with either a salad or some baked potatoes. Either way, this steak would be the perfect summer dinner for you and your family. I've pinned this recipe to my healthy beef recipe board, hoping you all give it a go this summer as well.. As always. feel free to post any questions, comments or suggestions below. Until then, Live, Love, Laugh and Eat.. Oh Yes, EAT!